The White Tower: Part 2...Day 5e

                                                                          There are, in fact, 21 towers and 18 acres in the Tower of London complex.. I am not sure we actually covered all eighteen of the acres or visited all the towers...



(but I am fairly certain we hit all the gift shops-they were very conveniently located)







The architecture of the various towers and buildings is said to represent almost all the various styles that have flourished in England throughout the years.

The White Tower is the oldest one and I think the largest one as well. When you enter the White Tower, you must climb up dozens and dozens of wooden stairs because the entrance is well above ground level, just as it was in the days of yore, to protect against enemy attack. If the enemy threat was imminent (because the moat had been crossed and the walls breached) as a last resort they would burn or knock down the wooden stairs. We trudged up those stairs, just as people had done centuries before. Probably not many commoners like us, however.

                           I may or may not have grumbled a bit on the way up. It was a very long climb.
                           I am pretty sure Rachel, Sara and Heather weren't grumbling, though.
                                               They had had their morning cuppa.

The White Tower-not as white as it used to be

Old Roman walls

The Keep-the strongest and most secure tower of the castle

Since the White Tower was the "keep" which was built to be the strongest and last defense, it is only logical that weapons and armoury would be on display here.

I just didn't expect there would be so much of it.


 

 
  I had never seen this many suits of armor and swords before in one place. In fact, I don't think I had ever seen one suit of armour in my whole life. But here, in the halls of the White Tower, even the horses had armour...and little kids...and a dragon.
 

                                                            The horse and his armour...

 
                     more armour...

 Behind the glare, you can see a child's suit of armour. I think that was the armour of the child who was to become King Henry VIII.

More armour... but not even a fraction of what was on display.

                                    I don't actually know what the deal was with this dragon...

                                 But he was a dragon made of armour...an armoured dragon...

 

These last three photographs are from Rachel's camera. I find it very interesting that her baby CHARLES HENRY was born less than a year after these pictures were taken. Coincidental? I think not...

t the heart of the Tower of London is the White Tower. It is the oldest part of the Tower, built to strike fear and submission into the unruly citizens of London. - See more at: http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/stories/WhiteTower#sthash.OePOU3Fr.dpuf

At the heart of the Tower of London is the White Tower. It is the oldest part of the Tower, built to strike fear and submission into the unruly citizens of London.
- See more at: http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/stories/WhiteTower#sthash.OePOU3Fr.dpuf

At the heart of the Tower of London is the White Tower. It is the oldest part of the Tower, built to strike fear and submission into the unruly citizens of London.
- See more at: http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/stories/WhiteTower#sthash.OePOU3Fr.dpuf

At the heart of the Tower of London is the White Tower. It is the oldest part of the Tower, built to strike fear and submission into the unruly citizens of London.
- See more at: http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/stories/WhiteTower#sthash.OePOU3Fr.dpuf

At the heart of the Tower of London is the White Tower. It is the oldest part of the Tower, built to strike fear and submission into the unruly citizens of London.
- See more at: http://www.hrp.org.uk/TowerOfLondon/stories/WhiteTower#sthash.OePOU3Fr.dpuf

Warning! Definition ahead! The teacher in me cannot resist providing a definition and a sketch.


The "keep" is the stronghold of a medieval castle, usually in the form of a massive tower. Sometimes the word refers to the entire castle that would be a fortified residence; other times it is just the tower that is the refuge of last resort.

Just in case you didn't know this. You are welcome.